Food & Drink

Open & Shut: James Beard Semifinalists; Union Hill Kitchen & Craft Bar; Bondhouse Kitchen

The latest restaurant openings, closings, and recent news.

NEWS

Baltimore Spots Named James Beard Award Semifinalists: Just like that, it’s award season again for the national culinary scene. The nominees are in for the 2025 James Beard Awards, and, as in previous years, Baltimore industry pros have been named as semifinalists for the the so-called “Oscars of the food world.” Among them is veteran honoree, Charleston, in the category of Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Additionally, Clavel was once again honored, but in a new category this year, Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service, which named bar director Dre Levon. Finally, Charm City is proud to have yet another chef represented in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category this year, which has awarded chef Jasmine Norton of The Urban Oyster her first nomination.

“We are deeply honored to celebrate our 25th nomination in 2025!” the Charleston team, whose chef Cindy Wolf has been nominated for Best Chef countless times but has never brought home the trophy, wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to the @beardfoundation for this incredible recognition. To our cherished patrons who journey from near and far to dine with us, and to our extraordinary team whose passion and dedication continue to elevate Charleston, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.”

The finalists will be announced on April 2, with winners awarded at the annual ceremony in Chicago on June 16.

Kitsch Cafe Expands Hours at R. House: Fans of Kitsch (especially those who aren’t the early-rising kind) will be pumped to hear that the community-forward egg sammy spot, which originated in Tuscany-Canterbury, has announced that its newish stall inside Remington food hall R. House will expand its hours—complete with new menu items. The R. House location is now open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week, rolling out new lunch and dinner bites like soup, salads, taco dip, deviled eggs, and mini corn dogs.

COMING SOON 

Union Hill Kitchen & Craft Bar: A new neighborhood concept is taking over the former home of Blue Hill Tavern, which closed last spring after 15 years in Brewers Hill. Union Hill Kitchen & Craft Bar will soft-open next week at 938 S. Conkling St., serving up small plates, flatbreads, and other modern American dishes. Owner and Montgomery County native Matt Largent has tapped chef Donnie Mygan to lead the kitchen, where he’ll put Peruvian and Spanish spins on some of the items. 

“We want to be a neighborhood restaurant,” Largent says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into being just fine dining. We want to be elevated, but approachable.”

Expect an expansive list of small plates such as crispy short ribs and octopus with pimentón aioli, plus flatbreads, a charcuterie program, a pretzel-bun burger, steak frites, and a few vegan options. On the beverage side, bar manager Nico McElhone will serve up craft cocktails (with zero-proof options) made with fresh juices and some scratch-made syrups. An espresso machine will adorn the bar for coffee drinks and espresso martinis. Patrons can also expect a wine list and 12 draft beers.

Although Largent is from Montgomery County, he says he was familiar with Baltimore and fell in love with the Canton/Brewers Hill neighborhoods. He knew of Blue Hill and was excited to get the space up and running again, especially with its location next to the (also up and running again) Mr. Boh sign. He looks forward to utilizing the restaurant’s second floor, outfitted as more of a lounge, for extra space and for private events. Parking is an added bonus, as well. Largent says he’s paying for a lot behind the Canton Self Storage building for patrons, not even a half a block away.

“We’re super excited,” Largent says, adding: “We just look forward to everybody coming in and giving it a shot.”

There will also be a brunch menu on the weekends (served all day on Sunday, along with dinner items after 3 p.m.) and some late-night bites after 9 p.m. The restaurant will be open until 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on the weekends.

Blü Cā: The dining options continue to grow at the Baltimore Peninsula—which welcomed the city’s very-first Ben & Jerry’s last week. This month, developers announced Blü Cā (pronounced blue kay) is set to open in 2026. The restaurant is a new Jamaican concept from One Love Restaurant Group, which is behind Island Spice in Harford County and KŌNŌKŌ in Baltimore County. Diners can expect an “immersive island experience” with, of course, a focus on Jamaican cuisine, plus vibrant designs and live music. The eatery aims to celebrate Jamaican heritage through “reggae fusion” small plates.

OPEN

Lao Sze Chuan: A new spot for Chinese cuisine and dim sum is now open in Charles Village. Lao Sze Chuan debuted this month at 3224 St. Paul St., the former home of Busboys and Poets, specializing in Szechuan dishes like dan dan noodles and mapo tofu. Expect a large, moderately designed dining room with pendant lights, tufted booths, and plenty of natural light. Online orders for carryout and delivery are available, as well. Along with bold and spicy items (what Szechuan cuisine is known for), the menu also comprises familiar favorites like pork soup dumplings, chicken wonton soup, and braised pork belly. 

EPICUREN EVENTS

1/24-2/2: Baltimore Restaurant Week
Baltimore Restaurant Week is back for its winter run, hoping to get diners out and about (despite the frigid temps) for deals at some of Charm City’s best eateries. For $35, $45, or $55, get a prix-fixe dinner at spots like BLK Swan, Bunny’s, Costiera, Foraged, Mera Kitchen Collective, Miss Shirley’s Cafe, The Urban Oyster, and Verde. Some Atlas Restaurant concepts are participating, as well, and, through Jan. 26, they are donating a portion of proceeds to TasteWise Kids, a Baltimore-based nonprofit that works with local children to teach them about food and developing healthy eating habits.

2/4: The Duchess Benefit for Women’s Law Center of Maryland
New Hampden restaurant The Duchess will host a special happy hour on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 5-7 p.m. to benefit the work of the Women’s Law Center of Maryland, which provides free legal services and advocates for legislative remedies to ensure the physical safety, economic security, and autonomy of women throughout the state. The happy hour will feature specialties of chef/co-owner Kiko Fejarang and music by local singer/songwriter Katie Callaha.

2/19-3/1: Alma Cocina’s Black Heritage Month Menu
Alma Cocina Latina in Station North is launching an exciting partnership for the month of February. Chef Héctor Romero is collaborating with Catina Smith, aka Chef Cat, of Our Time Kitchen on a special Black Heritage Month menu titled, Africa in the Americas: Diasporas at the Table. “This innovative pairing of Black and Latinx chefs celebrates the shared ethos of food, flavor, and history that these communities each cultivate and cherish,” the restaurant shared on social media. Reservations are recommended to try out the menu, which will run Feb. 19 through March 1.

SHUT

Bondhouse Kitchen: Much to the community’s surprise, this buzzy Fells Point restaurant officially closed on Jan. 13. Bondhouse Kitchen, which recently opened its adjacent speakeasy GoatBar, announced the news abruptly the day of its closure on social media, and did not reveal any details behind the decision. The spot—which was named among our 50 Best Restaurants in 2023—opened in 2020 and was known for its comfort-food favorites and a killer happy hour, which featured the popular Bartender’s Choice bar program. In its closure announcement, Bondhouse said that GoatBar “will remain open for a few more weeks” and to follow its Instagram account (@goatbarfellspoint) for updates. The Aliceanna Room, the owners’ dance venue and private events space, also shuttered on Jan. 13.